Lee is seventeen when he sets off to make a life for himself in Toronto. It is 1954, and Lee is new to the city. He discovers what community is like in the city, and we watch as he struggles to navigate public transport. In a desperate moment, he finds out through an acquaintance about a potential job opportunity, and having no other real prospects, he decides to go for it.
Lee gets an apartment with a more accomplished adult, a very attractive woman who works as an actress around town. Lee describes the confusing dynamic in their apartment, and he describes feeling rejected by her, although the prospect of their relationship goes mostly unaddressed.
In his day life, he lands the job and begins his role as a copy boy for the paper, the Toronto Telegram. As he covers stories, his talent for journalism is revealed, and he begins to work his way up as a reporter. Before long, he is a novice journalist, and although he doesn't know much of what will happen next, Lee begins to feel that he has earned his place in Toronto.
In a post-script, the author admits that the book is semi-autobiographical.
